Two Worlds
by hallyu1
Summary: Tarzan AU. Abandoned as a baby and adopted by Igneel the fire dragon, Natsu grew up as a dragon, not knowing any other humans. But when researchers invade the jungle, he meets Lucy—a beautiful mage who is studying dragons. As she teaches him about the outside world, he learns more about himself and love. And suddenly the world seems much larger than it did before.
1. Prologue

**_I got the idea for this fanfiction from tumblr (fanfic user Yaushibee). So all credit to this story/AU idea goes to Yaushie. I hope you guys enjoy it! Don't forget to review to let me know what you think!_  
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**Chapter 1**

It all started with a baby abandoned in the dense forest, and the dragon that stumbled upon him. Normally dragons had nothing to do with humans. They deemed them horrid creatures that had no respect for other animals. They destroyed things, encroached on dragon territory, and killed animals without regard. But Igneel had never seen a hatchling before. He had only encountered the grown ones a few times. And for some reason the child intrigued him. He lay bundled in the hollow trunk of a tree, as if it had been stowed away to be retrieved later. Had its parents met an unfortunate accident or had they abandoned it? Sniffing the air, he couldn't catch any other human scents.

The ancient forest was far from any human settlements, nestled deep in the heart of uncharted territory. The only way to reach this place was by a dangerous trek over land or by boat to the coastal edge of the forest. Either way, it was a dangerous journey for humans. Even more so to land an infant on his doorstep. How did it get here?

His great scaly head snaked down toward the infant bundled up in a thin blanket. The baby watched him carefully, eyes wide with wonder. Igneel pulled the blanket away with a thick claw to get a better look at it. Underneath, all the child wore was an old diaper which smelled rancid. The child had dark eyes and a small tuft of pink hair. All at once a big grin spread across he baby's face. He cooed and laughed, reaching up for the mighty dragon.

Igneel sneered. "You wouldn't be so eager if you knew who I was, brat. I ought to eat you right now, before you become a destructive monster like the rest of your kind." The child didn't seem afraid of him. Despite his fearsome appearance and deep rumbling voice, the boy still laughed. "Still…you are quite interesting."

Snagging his claw on the old diaper, the red dragon lifted the baby up. He held him high, only inches from his own nose. The boy's arms rested on his scaly muzzle. He made a soft cooing sound. Igneel couldn't help but smile, even just a little.

"You interest me, child. Perhaps there is some redeeming quality to you creatures after all."

He cradled the child in his might claws. Perhaps if a human child was raised differently, they would not be so terrible. Besides, there were no signs of the boy's parents anywhere. Most likely they had been killed somehow—by some other creature more fearsome and unforgiving. The child would die if left alone. And Igneel had been lonely as of late. He had never quite found the right mate and therefore never had a hatchling of his own. Perhaps it was time to adopt. Who else would be crazy enough to take in a human as their own?

"I shall call you Natsu. You seem to have a fiery attitude just as summer itself." Igneel held the boy close. "Let us see if you have what it takes to survive as a dragon. You shall prove interesting indeed."

_**Chapter 2 coming soon!**_


	2. The Human Hatchling

_**I'm happy I've gotten such positive feedback on this one! I don't know how regularly I will be posting chapters, but I will try to have them up in a timely fashion. Don't forget to review when you finish reading!**_

_**Credit for the cover picture goes to artist Yaushie on Deviantart! Thanks for letting me use it :)**_

**Chapter 2**

"It's so…ugly."

Several of the dragons were clustered around Igneel. He held the baby in one of his mighty claws, the child still wrapped in the little bundle he had found him in. many of the older dragons stared at the infant with disdain. They had seen the horrors men could do, and adopting a human hatchling was far against everything they lived by. It was ludicrous!

"Are you going to eat it?" one of the dragons asked.

"If it becomes too much trouble, perhaps I might." Igneel chuckled. "But the creature seemed interesting."

"What is it?" a hatchling asked eagerly.

"A human child," one of the older dragons growled. "It's a horrid creature. You should have never brought it here, Igneel."

Igneel snorted, sparks and smoke rising from his nostrils. "I can do as I please. And I don't have a hatchling of my own. Perhaps the boy can become of use to us."

The old dragon laughed, a deep and rumbling laugh. "A _human_ be of use to a _dragon_? You must be joking!"

"What kind of hatchling is it? It doesn't even have scales! How does it protect itself?"

One of the dragons reached out toward the child. His claw snagged the skin on the child's neck, slicing open the skin. The baby wailed as the wound began to bleed, tears streaming down his chubby cheeks. Enraged, Igneel snapped at the other dragon.

"How dare you touch my son!" Igneel roared.

"Keep the child if you want," one of the elders growled. "But do not involve us in your foolishness. The child is no kin of ours."

The dragons began to disperse, leaving Igneel alone with the boy. Evening was setting in and the dragons curled up in their individual nests. Even though they lived in a colony, the dragons mostly kept to themselves and Igneel was no exception. The boy continued to cry and wail as he carried it back to his own nest. He curled up on the soft leaves and laid the baby down beside him. But he continued to cry.

"Hush!" Igneel growled, but it only furthered the boy's wailing. Igneel groaned. "What am I supposed to do with this brat? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea…."

But despite his harsh words, there was something about the child that he couldn't help but like. The boy had laughed and embraced him, despite his fearsome demeanor. He wasn't afraid. Igneel glanced at the others before sighing. Using his dragon magic, he transformed his beautiful, red scaly self into a humanoid form. His wings shrunk down and his tail disappeared. Scales covered his skin in patches and his teeth were still just as sharp as ever. He had short, spiky red hair and bright yellow Dragon eyes.

Picking up the child, he held the boy at arm's length. "Stop crying!" he commanded.

He sat down in the nest and held the child closer. He plucked some of his old scales from the nest and wove it into a rough fabric with his magic, like a scarf. Gently he wrapped the cloth around the baby's neck to stop the bleeding. Eventually the child quieted and gazed up at Igneel with red, watery eyes.

"That's better," Igneel grunted. "No more tears." He curled up with the child close to his chest. Even in human form, the dragon gave off an inhuman amount of heat. The baby snuggled into Igneel's warm body and soon drifted off to sleep. "Hmph. This is the last time I take this form, brat. Don't get used to it."

Slowly drowsiness overcame the fire dragon and he too drifted off to sleep, the baby safely tucked in his arms.

**V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V***

Many of the dragons in the colony did not take well to the newest edition. Igneel kept the child close, since the tiny meat sack couldn't do much but eat, sleep, and poop. Compared to dragon hatchlings which had claws and fangs, the baby was useless. There were several dragon clans, usually made up of ten to fifteen dragons and their young. In the dense magical jungle there were several dragon colonies, but they lived far apart. After all, dragons are very territorial. Other creatures such as Exceed and Vulcans lived closely with the dragons. After all, they were a great source of protection.

After adopting the boy, Igneel became more ostracized by the rest of the dragons. Though some of the more curious hatchlings ventured close to his nest to see the strange, pink, wingless dragon, he was for the most part alone.

Igneel dropped a rabbit in front of the boy. Natsu giggled, clapping his hands with enthusiasm as he watched the vermin scurry about.

"Don't laugh! Catch it, brat!"

Natsu crawled on his hands and knees. He squeezed the rabbit's fluffy white tail and the boy exploded with the giggles.

The fire dragon sighed and shook his great scaly head. "How am I supposed to teach you to hunt?"

Plucking the rabbit up with his claws, he held it in front of the child. "This, Natsu, this is food. You must learn to catch your own meals. I can't do it for you forever." He breathed fire onto the little creature, cooking it thoroughly before laying it down in front of his son. "Here. Eat."

Natsu stared at the steaming carcass. Suddenly tears welled up in his eyes and he cried. Tears streamed down his chubby cheeks as he wailed.

"What?! What do you want?" Igneel growled angrily. "Eat, boy!"

"I think the boy is too young to eat meat," a female voice said softly.

Igneel rounded on the intruder, barring his teeth and growling deeply. The majestic white Sky Dragon, Grandine, stood behind him. She ruffled her white feathers and frowned at his hostile demeanor.

"Come now, Igneel. There's no need to be so grumpy."

"Grandine," he growled. "What do you want?"

"Only to help you." Grandine held a small flower in her claws. The bud looked like an orchid, but the inside petals came together like a small nipple. The center was dripping with sweet nectar. She lowered the flower and slid the center petals into the child's mouth. Slowly his tears dried up as he suckled happily on the flower. "There now. That's better," she said with a smile.

"What is that?"

"Just a weed. But it produces a sweet and nutritious nectar. Human young cannot eat meat right after birth, you know."

He growled, looking away from the white dragon in frustration.

She laughed. "Let the child suck on those until he is old enough to learn how to hunt. It should keep him quiet until then, I dare say."

Igneel held his head up with pride. "That day will come soon enough. No son of Igneel will become a useless dragon."

"Of course. Do prove us wrong, Igneel. The elders would be glad to see that, I'm sure," she said sarcastically.

"Hmph!" He glowered at Grandine as she sauntered away. But he knew she was right. Sighing, he looked down at the baby at his feet, still suckling on the flower. "We'll show them, Natsu. Someday you're going to be the strongest of all."

_**Chapter 3 coming soon!**_


	3. The Scaleless Wonder

_**Trying not to rush into the heart of the story, so I hope you all enjoy the backstory! Don't forget to review when you finish reading :)**_

**Chapter 3**

It wasn't until at least five years had passed that the boy could do anything to hold his own. Despite being human, Igneel had taught him fire dragon magic. By age five, Natsu could breathe fire and generate flames all on his own. But he still hadn't grown any claws or fangs like the other hatchlings. He was seen as the naked dragon—the only one without any scales for protection. Using magic, Igneel wove together some of the scales he had shed into a type of loincloth, the same way he had made the scarf. Now that the baby had grown out of his disgusting diaper, he needed something to cover himself. Once Igneel's scales had been shed, they turned white but much of its protective magic still remained.

"Natsu!" an excited little voice called.

They boy turned just in time to see a little blue blur come flying toward him. The cat slammed into him full force, knocking Natsu off his feet. The two of them tumbled to the ground. Sitting back on his heels, the boy shook his head, trying to keep himself from being dizzy.

"Happy!" Natsu laughed. "You snuck up on me!"

"Aye!" The Exceed grinned. "Want to go fishing today?"

"Only if you let me cook some of them."

"That would completely ruin the fish!" Happy cried.

A couple of other juvenile hatchlings snickered. One with bright blue scales and horns that curved outward nudged his friend. He had big bat-like wings and sharp fangs that curled out from beneath his scaly lips. The other was a young dragon with green scales and a bright yellow underbelly. He had short, stubby legs and small wings, while the blue boy was lithe and skinny. Weiss and Lugg were their names.

"Hey look, it's the scaleless wonder and the weird blue cat," a blue juvenile with curved horns jeered.

The other laughed. "There's no better pair than the weird dragon with no scales and a stupid Exceed."

Natsu growled. "Watch it Lugg."

"What're you gonna do?" Weiss teased. "Maul me to death?"

Natsu launched at him, knocking the dragon to the ground. He grappled with the blue dragon, snarling and snapping like any dragon would. He lashed out at him, but he didn't have talons like they did. Swiping his tail beneath Natsu's legs, Weiss knocked him down. Lugg, the green dragon leaped in, scratching and biting at the boy's bare skin. With the two of them, Natsu was easily overpowered. He snarled and growled, kicking and scratching with all his might. But it did little good.

"Natsu…" Happy called to him, worried.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" A loud voice boomed.

The two juveniles yelped, leaping off of Natsu. The dragons scuttled away and Happy rushed to Natsu's side. Natsu sat up slowly, his limps shaking. He was covered in cuts and scratches, blood oozing down his pink flesh. He wiped the blood from his mouth on the back of his hand. Natsu spat on the ground, his saliva slightly red from the coppery liquid. Happy rested his little paws on the boy's knee.

"Natsu…are you okay?"

"Yeah." He grinned. "They got me, that's all. I'm fine."

"NATSU!" the same voice bellowed.

He gulped and looked up at the enormous red dragon that loomed over him. Igneel glowered down at him with his gleaming yellow eyes. Natsu averted his gaze and sat back on his heels.

"How many times have I told you not to start fight?!" Igneel shouted angrily.

"I dunno. I lost count," he muttered.

Igneel snagged Natsu's scarf in his talons and hoisted the boy into the air. Natsu twisted and struggled, trying to free himself.

"Hey—Dad! Wait, what are you doing?! Put me down!"

"Silence, brat!"

Igneel carried him off toward the nest. As Natsu struggled, Igneel's grip only tightened. Happy followed close behind. Finally Igneel dropped the boy on the large nest of grass and leaves where they always slept. Natsu landed with a hard thud. He rubbed his sore backside as he slowly sat up.

"Ow…."

"Natsu!" Happy shouted. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Natsu looked up at his father. Igneel lowered his large head so that he was level with the boy.

"I didn't teach you to make trouble," Igneel growled.

Natsu glanced away. "They started it."

"I don't care who started it! I'm finishing it!" He straightened up to his full height. "I taught you how to protect yourself. I didn't teach you to make trouble with it."

Natsu pouted. Happy climbed into his lap and sat down. Patting the little blue cat on the head, Natsu glanced up at his father.

"Why am I so different?"

"You aren't all that different, you know," Igneel said, his voice softening slightly.

"They all make fun of me—call me the scaleless wonder. I don't have scales or claws. I don't even have any wings or a tail! What kind of dragon doesn't have a tail?! Why was I born like this?" He turned away, frustrated. "It's not fair."

"Never mind what they call you," Igneel said firmly. "What matters is that you are my son. The son of the Mighty Igneel! And you have the soul to rival any of the greatest dragons out there! What more could a hatchling want?"

"A pair of wings would be nice…" he muttered.

"You look fine to me!" Happy chimed in.

Natsu laughed. "You always say that!"

"Aye! Because it's true." The blue cat grinned.

Igneel lay down beside the boy, curling his tail protectively around his son. "You've been hurt. Let's take care of those wounds."

"I'm fine."

"Don't be stubborn!" Igneel growled.

The red dragon unraveled the scaly scarf from around Natsu's neck. Beneath it was a small scar, from the first night he had brought the boy to the colony. The child scarred easily, due to his lack of protective scales. And he had a rambunctious nature. It was hard keeping him out of trouble, but Igneel did his best. He licked the boy's wounds carefully, coating them in thick dragon saliva. Dragon saliva offered a sticky but protective barrier to prevent infection. Plus it had a certain amount of healing properties. Natsu also nursed his own wounds, licking the ones he could reach. Soon the blood was all cleaned away, leaving his bite wounds and scratches clearly visible.

Igneel frowned. "They didn't hold back at all."

Natsu shrugged. "We were just fighting."

"But your skin is more fragile than theirs!" he shouted. "You need to be more careful.

"Okay…."

Igneel sighed as he groomed his sun's tuft of spiky pink hair. He worried more about the boy than most dragons did about their young. And if Grandine hadn't helped him out in the first few years, the boy most certainly would have died. It was a miracle he even made it to age five. Just how was a defenseless little hatchling like Natsu supposed to survive against other dragons? Just thinking about it filled him with dread. Perhaps he hadn't thought things through as much as he should have.

_**Chapter 4 coming soon!**_


	4. The Flightless Dragon

_**Hope you enjoy the new chapter! Don't forget to review when you finish reading**_

**Chapter 4**

"Natsu are you sure about this?" Happy asked hesitantly.

The two of them sat perched on the edge of a cliff overgrown with ferns and bushes. Water cascaded down into the crystal clear pool below. It was a secluded oasis surrounded by lush foliage and deep greens. The two juvenile dragons they had fought with sat behind them, snickering to each other. Since their last fight in the colony, Natsu's wounds had healed up nicely. It left very little evidence that there had ever been a fight to begin with.

"Come on, Natsu," Weiss jeered. "Let's see you fly!"

"Yeah!" Lugg joined in. "A _real_ dragon can fly, so let's see how you manage!"

"Just a minute, guys!" Natsu said with a grin. "I just gotta get ready, okay?"

"Natsu, I don't think this is a good idea…" Happy muttered, glancing back at the two dragons.

"C'mon! It'll be fine. Just like we planned," Natsu said, resting his hand on the little cat's shoulder. "I'll take a running start and jump. And then you just catch me and I'll fly with your wings!"

"I don't know…I've never carried someone else before."

"Just trust me."

Natsu crawled back on all fours, backing away from the cliff's edge as best he could.

"Ready?" He nodded to the little blue Exceed.

"Aye, sir!"

With a loud battle cry, Natsu raced toward the edge of the cliff. The closer he came to the edge, the louder the boys began to laugh. Happy spread his white wings and soared out over the drop-off. Natsu gripped the edge of the cliff tightly with his finger and toes before launching himself over the edge. He spread his arms wide, still roaring with confidence. And then he started to fall. He flailed his limps, trying to catch onto something—anything! His roar turned into a shriek as he plummeted toward the water below. Happy tried to catch him by the arms. He flapped his little wings madly as he tried to slow the falling boy. But Natsu was too heavy.

"Natsu! You're too heavy!" Happy cried, as he pulled harder. "I can't!"

The bottom was coming up fast. "C'mon, Happy! Pull!"

The two juvenile's leaned their heads over the side of the cliff.

"This doesn't look good," Weiss muttered.

"Maybe we overdid it." The other glanced at his friend.

A resounding smack followed by a loud splash echoed throughout the clearing. Natsu sank beneath the water's surface, air bubbling up to the surface where he landed. Happy circled the water where he had disappeared, shouting his name frantically.

"Go get help!" Weiss shoved the other off the edge. "If he dies, Igneel is gonna kill us!"

As the stubby green dragon flew off toward the colony, Weiss dove over the edge. He folded his wings close to his side as he nosedived into the clear water. He hardly made a splash as he dove down toward the bottom of the pool. He spotted Natsu, sinking deeper. Slipping his scaly arms beneath the boy's floppy smooth ones, he flapped his wings and boosted himself upward. He gasped as they breached the surface. Natsu's head flopped to the side, but he made no movements.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, tears in his eyes.

Weiss dragged him onto the shore, rolling him onto his back. His chest wasn't moving. Happy landed beside the boy, nudging his shoulder gently.

"Crap crap crap crap!" Weiss looked around nervously. Where was Lugg with help? "Come on, Natsu, don't die on me! Don't die! We were just kidding around!"

The rush of wings filled the clearing. A gust stirred the trees, making them sway back and forth. Two dragons appeared in the sky above them—a mighty red dragon covered in scars, and a pure white one with feathery wings. Igneel and Grandine landed beside them on the bank of the pool.

"What happened?!" Igneel bellowed.

"We were playing and we just…" Weiss stammered. "And he was—we were…."

"He was trying to fly," Lugg muttered.

"YOU WHAT?!" Igneel roared.

Happy started crying. "I tried to catch him but I wasn't strong enough!" he wailed.

Gathering his dragon magic, Igneel transformed down to his humanoid form. His wings shrank down and his tail disappeared. He was still covered in patches of red scales and his yellow eyes glowed like lamps. He knelt down beside Natsu and rested his ear against the boy's chest.

"He's not breathing."

Igneel pinched Natsu's nose closed and tilted his head back. He inhaled deeply and breathed into the boy's mouth. As he transferred hot air into the boy's lungs, Natsu's chest rose and fell. After a few breaths, Natsu's chest heaved and he coughed violently, dislodging the water from his lungs. Water dribbled down his chin and he continued to cough, but at least he was breathing. Igneel sighed, relieved.

"This child is going to be the death of me…."

"Igneel," Grandine said, laying the pack of her paw gently against the boy's skin. "Is temperature is dangerously low. We need to get him back to the colony."

Transforming back into his majestic dragon form, Igneel scooped the boy into his arms. With a sweep of his powerful wings, he soared into the air. He held Natsu close to his chest as he glided down in the colony and landed gently in their nest. He laid the child down and curled up close to him, wrapping his tail protectively around the boy. His immense warmth radiated from his scaly body, warming up the boy's wet body quickly.

Natsu slept for several hours before he finally awoke. He groaned, rolling onto his side. He blinked drowsily, trying to figure out where he was.

"Nnnn…Dad…?"

"Glad to see you're still alive," Igneel grunted. "Trying to kill yourself again?"

"Not on purpose." Natsu sat up slowly, his limbs shaking. He held his head in his hands. "Why does everything hurt…?"

"Because you stupidly jumped off a cliff that was over a hundred feet high!" he roared. "What in Earthland were you doing?!"

"I was trying to fly," he said groggily, wincing at his father's loud roar.

"You don't have any wings, Natsu. You can't go pulling stunts like that or you might really kill yourself next time."

"I just figured Happy might be able to carry me," Natsu muttered, scratching his head. "Since he has wings and stuff."

"The Exceed?" Igneel sighed. "You're too heavy for the poor creature. You're just going to have to find another way to get around other than flying."

Natsu pouted. There was nothing he wanted more than to be able to fly like the other dragons. He was tired of being different—the only one without scales or talons or tails or wings. He curled up against his father's warm scales and closed his eyes. The steady rhythm of the dragon's heartbeat and his warm body heat soon lulled him into a deep sleep.

**V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V***

After the incident at the pool, Natsu had been experimenting with other modes of transportation. Walking around on the ground left him vulnerable to predators, and since he couldn't fly he had to find another way. Thankfully the jungle was incredibly dense and vines hung down from the trees, making it feel even more overgrown. He found that the vines were strong enough to hold his weight. And even without wings, it felt as though he could fly when he swung from tree to tree. The other dragons laughed and jeered him, saying he looked more like an ape than a dragon. But it was better than crawling around on the ground like a lowly animal. With quite a bit of practice, he became quite good at vine swinging. By the time he was eleven, it was his primary mode of transportation. He could navigate through the jungles with ease, avoiding trees and other dangers. His speed in the trees could almost rival a dragon's wing speed. Almost.

Taking one of the low hanging vines, Natsu stood on a tree branch. He stared down at the ground far below him. Happy flew up beside him, hovering in the air.

"Did you learn how to fly?" Happy asked.

"Yeah! This is why better than crawling on the ground." He held the vine out for the little blue cat. "You wanna try?"

"Aye!"

"Hold on tight."

Happy held onto the vine. Gripping it tightly, Natsu pushed off hard from the branch. The momentum pushed him forward. The wind whipped his pink hair back from his face. He breathed in deeply. It felt so good to be up in the air away from the others. He felt so…free. As he soared through the trees, swinging from vine to vine, he watched the animals below him scamper about. Happy let go of the vine and flew along beside him.

"You're as fast as me, Natsu!" he said.

"I never thought it would feel so good to fly." Natsu reached the end of his vine and he landed nimbly on another branch. "When I'm up here I don't have to worry about anything. I can just be me." He breathed in deeply and sighed. "I feel so free."

"You're just like a real dragon!"

Natsu pouted, glancing at his little friend. "What do you mean 'like a real dragon'? I _am_ a dragon, remember?"

"Aye."

He sighed. "I wonder if there are other dragons like me." Natsu stared at his scale-free hands and lack of talons. "Maybe I'm the only dragon that was born like this."

"Maybe Igneel knows," Happy suggested.

Natsu shook his head. Sitting back on his heels, he wrapped his arms around his knees. "Dad won't tell me anything. He just keeps telling me that I'll understand when I'm older." He groaned. "What does that even mean?"

Happy shrugged. "I dunno."

As Natsu stared out at the vast jungle that spread out before him, he wondered if he was the only one like this. He wondered if there was anyone else out there who was just like him. And if they were out there…maybe he'd actually get to meet them. And for once, the world seemed so bright and promising. And maybe, just maybe, he'd see what was beyond those trees.

_**Chapter 5 coming soon!**_


	5. The Nest

**_Sorry this one's short! But I felt I had to break this up from the following chapter_  
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**Chapter 5**

Things didn't get easier as Natsu grew older. He learned to adjust better, but there were just some aspects of Dragon life that he couldn't fit in at all, no matter how hard he tried. Most dragons mature at the age of sixteen. And by that time they begin to look for a mate. It was an important coming of age moment that every juvenile dragon shared, and Natsu was determined not to lose out this time. He may not have scales or a tail or wings, but he was still a dragon. He was Igneel's son.

Natsu sat perched high in the trees, a thick vine in his hand. He had been scouting the forest near the colony for days for just the right spot. Dragons tended to build their nests enormous old trees, which were plentiful in the magical forest, or in caves. This deep in the jungle, there weren't many caves, but it didn't stop him from searching. And it was high in the trees that he finally spotted it.

Swinging down on the vine, he landed nimbly on the moist forest floor. The moss and leaves were soft beneath his bare feet as he approached the dark opening. One of the largest and oldest trees in the area loomed high above him. Thick vines and foliage clung to the bark and hung around the large trunk, like a curtain of green. And at the base of its enormous roots was an opening. Tearing away some of the plants from the entrance, Natsu gazed into the cave beneath the tree's mighty roots. Half stone and half tree root, it was the perfect spot for a nest.

He grinned from ear to ear, proud of his amazing find. Taking a deep breath, he let the warmth fill up his chest before the flames spewed from his open mouth. He gently let his fire lick the inside of the tree, clearing out unneeded dirt and dead wood from inside. He slowly made his way inside, breathing fire all the while. When he was satisfied with his work, he sat in the middle of the tree and looked up. Quite a bit of the old tree was hollow, and the opening was large enough to accommodate the average sized dragon. Though it was probably too small for his father. He could see the opening of his cave from where he sat, but the trunk curved in slightly, giving the nest a bit of privacy.

"All it needs is some leaves and it'll be perfect," he muttered.

"Natsuuuuuu!" Happy's shrill voice called.

Natsu crawled to the opening and stuck his head out. He spotted the little blue cat fly by the old tree. "I'm in here!"

Happy quickly turned around and glided down toward him. "What're you doing?"

"I'm building a nest." He sat back on his heels. Natsu rubbed the back of his neck, trying not to sound embarrassed. "I'll be coming of age soon, ya know."

"What's that mean?"

"Well I get to start looking for a mate. And I need a nest of my own before I can find a mate."

Happy covered his mouth as his snickered. "Natsu's gonna get all lovey-dovey!"

His face flushed in embarrassment. "Sh-shut up!" He folded his arms and looked away in a huff. He glanced back at the cat at his feet. "So…you wanna help me?"

"Aye, sir!"

"Great! You can help me gather leaves and vines."

"What for?"

Natsu rolled his eyes. "To line the nest with, duh."

"Aye!"

The two of them scouted the forest floor, gathering the greenest and softest leaves they could find. Arms laden with foliage, the hauled in the leaves one armful at a time. Natsu carefully lined the nest with thick green leaves and soft moss he had pulled off of the forest floor. He wove thick vines throughout the nest until the bottom was soft and springy. When he had finished, he flopped onto his back, arms and legs spread wide. He sighed with contentment. Happy flopped down beside him.

The blur cat started to purr. "It's so soooooft."

"Yeah."

"So what kind of mate are you looking for? Do you li-i-i-i-ke someone?" Happy grinned.

"I dunno. I hadn't thought about it too much. But the guys are all off building nests and mating season is coming up so…I dunno…."

Happy sat up beside him. "But Natsu's nest will be the best!"

He grinned, a big toothy grin. "Yeah. The guys'll all be jealous when they see it!"

"When does the season start?"

"Next week."

"Are you excited?"

Natsu bit his lip, scratching the back of his neck absentmindedly. "I'm excited and…nervous." Nervous about the way the elders would handle it.


	6. Fire and Ash

_**This idea was actually given to me by Asrith33 and I loved it so much I thought I'd use it because, well, character development! Don't forget to review!**_

**Chapter 6**

Natsu landed lightly among the leaves, releasing the vine as he did so. Igneel turned and gazed down at his son.

"Where have you been, Natsu?"

The boy shrugged. "You know. Around."

"Hmph!" The great dragon growled. "You're late, you know. The elders have all gathered."

Just hearing those words, Natsu's heart thudded nervously. This was it. The other young dragons were all being presented to the elders so they could pronounce if they were ready to seek a mate. Natsu gulped. His father patted him gently on the shoulder and nudged him forward, toward the heart of the colony.

"Go on. Everyone's waiting."

Natsu glanced up at the fire dragon. "You think I'm ready?"

Igneel's lips curled back in a dragonish grin. "Go."

Gulping down his nervousness, Natsu started forward. He walked on all fours, fingers spread and curved like talons. The other dragons turned to look at him as he approached the small gathering of young dragons at the center. The young dragons were gathered in a small huddle, staring up at the elders who sat perched high in the branches. Their shadows encompassed the juveniles, reminding them of how great and mighty the elders truly were. As Natsu joined the group, Lugg scowled down at him.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he growled.

Natsu frowned. "Same as you! I'm here to get the elders' blessings."

Weiss, who sat next to his trusty friend, smirked. A gritty sound reverberated from the back of his throat—a dragon's chuckle.

"You think the elders will deem _you_ good enough to mate?" Weiss laughed. "Just look at you! What dragoness in her right mind would want an ugly scaleless dragon like you as mate?!"

"Shut up!" Natsu snarled. "I've just a right as you to find a mate!"

The other hatch-mates were staring at the three of them. What had started as a little squabble was being taken too far. And Natsu would not stand for the two bullies to tell him that he was inadequate as a mate.

"Yeah, right!" Lugg jeered. "And if you did find a dragoness stupid enough or blind enough to mate with you, your hatchlings would be hideous!"

"I can't imagine what those things would look like!" Weiss pulled himself up to his full height and stared down his snout at Natsu. "It would be an abomination!"

Teeth barred, Natsu launched at them. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

He snapped and clawed at them, but thanks to their scales it did little good. Weiss kicked him off and rolled over. He roared, furious that the scaleless wonder would dare to attack him. Natsu roared back. He inhaled deeply, letting the heat gather in the back of his throat before he roared again. This time flames came spewing from his mouth. Weiss shrieked, rising with a stroke of his wings.

"ENOUGH!" an earsplitting roar echoed throughout the colony.

Until that point, the adults had looked on in passive interest. But after releasing his flames, the elders could no longer sit idly by. A gale swirled about the gathering as one of the elders descended toward them. The other hatch-mates scuttled back to make room, but Weiss, Lugg, and Natsu remained where they were. The old dragon had four wings instead of two, and a single spike rose in a sharp curve from the end of his snout. The brown and red scales were starting to turn gray, a badge of his age. One of his eyes was milky white with blindness, but the other was bright yellow. He stared down his snout at the three juveniles at his feet.

Natsu and Weiss pointed to each other, shouting in unison, "He started it!"

"Enough!" the elder bellowed once more.

He brought down his front feet down upon the two of them, pinning them between his sharp claws. They squirmed beneath his weight, but to no avail. Neither one of them could move. Lugg shrank back toward the rest of the group.

"I've had enough of your bickering!" Smoke curled out from the old dragon's nostrils. He cocked his head to the side so he could see both of them with his one good eye. "What the hell are you two fighting about?!"

"That freak!" Weiss screeched, pointing with his wing. "He may be the same age as us, but he shouldn't be allowed to mate! And even if he did find one stupid enough, their hatchlings would be an abomination! It's bad blood!"

"Shut up!" Natsu snarled. "I have just a right as the rest of you to choose a mate!"

"Like any dragoness would chose you over one of us!" Weiss snapped.

"SILENCE!"

The old dragon's roar put a stop to their bickering. He sat back on his haunches, but kept the boys pinned so they wouldn't fight anymore.

"That is a matter for the council of elders to decide." The old dragon gazed up at the other three elders who remained perched high in the branches. "However," he said, returning his gaze to the boys. "We have previously discussed this matter." He slowly lifted his front feet, letting the two sit up.

Weiss glared at Natsu, the young boy returning his heated gaze in kind. They gazed up at the old dragon, waiting for him to continue.

"Natsu. You are a special case that our colony has never experienced before. Given your origin and situation, the council has decided." The other elder dragons nodded for him to continue. "Natsu, you are unfit to pursue a mate."

Hearing their words, it was like the wind was knocked out of his lungs. "What…?"

"Even if you did manage to find a mate, your inability to consummate would be disastrous to your relationship. And it would bring shame to the entire colony."

"But…you can't just—!"

"The council has decided!" the elder roared. "Natsu, son of Igneel, your right to mate has been revoked."

It was bad enough that that the council of elders had revoked his right to a dragon mate, but it had been announced in front of the entire colony. The adults muttered to themselves about the shame and embarrassment of having such a dragon among them. His hatch-mates joined in as well. Natsu pushed his way through the crowd, making his way to the edge of the colony. None of the other dragons bothered to stop him. Natsu didn't stop running. He let his feet decide where he was going. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of the nest he had built—the grand nest he had hoped that he would one day share with his mate. But those hopes were all pointless now. Picking up a handful of leaves, he crumpled them in his fist.

Natsu roared and screamed with anger. He let his flames loose, fire erupting in the beautiful nest he had made. He watched as the wood and leaves burned to ash, leaving nothing behind but the blackened inside of the enormous tree and cinders where soft bedding had once been. He curled up in the ash and soot, silently mourning the loss of a life he would never be able to have.

**V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V***

"Natsu!" Igneel shouted.

He had been searching the surrounding jungle for hours but he had found no sign of his son. Until he spotted the smoke tendrils above the trees did he figure out where his son had gone. He followed the smoke trail to an enormous tree. Everything was black within except for a speck of flesh and pink. Even the smaller trees and foliage around the larger one were burned to ash. Snaking his head down toward the opening, Igneel gazed down at the curled up form.

"Natsu."

"Go away," Natsu growled.

"Listen, it's not the end of the world."

"Says you." Natsu curled into a tighter ball. "The elders never revoked _your_ right to mate. IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE COLONY!"

"No. But I know what it's like to despair at not finding a mate."

Natsu chuckled darkly. "Yeah right."

He scrambled deeper into the tree, farther in than before. Igneel lowered his head so he could peer inside, but the opening was too small for his head to even fit in. But he could see the inside. His son had picked a marvelous spot. The tree was big enough to fit most any dragon, and the location was exquisite. Before he had burned it, the nest surely would have been magnificent.

"You made yourself a fine nest," Igneel said softly.

Natsu sat against the far side of the nest, back pressed against the trunk. He hugged his knees to his chest and refused to look at his father.

"Natsu, I know it seems hopeless now, but I promise you. It is _not_ the end of the world. The council may have revoked your right to mate with a dragoness, but you can still find a mate out there."

The boy glanced up at his father.

"You are special, Natsu. And it takes a special person to mate with one like you."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Yeah…'special'…."

"Believe me. You'll understand someday. I promise."

The boy turned away from him. Igneel pulled his head back with a sigh. There was nothing he could say or do that would cheer him up. He had done his best, but for now it would be better to let him be alone. The boy just needed time to cool off. And despite the council's decision, Igneel knew there was a human out there for his son. Whether he would be ready for it when the time came was another matter entirely. But for now, it would have to be all left up to fate.

_**Chapter 7 coming soon!**_


	7. Strangers Like Me

_**Sorry it's been so long! I hope you enjoy the new chapter, and don't forget to review!**_

**Chapter 7**

Each year during the mating season, Natsu would venture back to the nest he had burned. It was a sad reminder that he could never achieve what his hatch-mates could. And he would curl up there for days, alone in the charred and broken nest, dreaming of a time when he could have a mate of his own. But he knew it wasn't meant to be. As he grew older, he visited the tree less and less. It remained a hollow reminder of what he could never have. It wasn't until years later that he even imagined the possibility again.

Natsu was sitting perched on a branch high in the trees, munching on a bird he had killed earlier when he heard it. A loud explosive sound. But it was different than a dragon's roar or a vulcan's screech. This was one single bang, almost like a crack that echoed throughout the whole jungle. Natsu sat up straight, ears perked and listening closely. The bird carcass slipped from his fingers, completely forgotten. Then he heard it again—an explosive bang.

Grabbing a nearby vine, he swung down nimbly and landed on the forest floor as silent as a cat. Natsu scurried off in the direction of the nest. He found his father, Igneel, standing tall and gazing sternly in the direction the sound had come from.

"Dad, did you hear that?"

Igneel merely grunted in response.

"What was it?" Natsu crawled up onto his father's back and craned his neck, trying to see what his father was seeing. "I've never heard anything like it. You think it was—"

"It's trouble. That's what it is," Igneel said in his deep, rumbling voice. "Stay away from it."

A murmur was already spreading throughout the colony. The older dragons muttered amongst themselves, sounding angry and somewhat fearful all at once. The younger dragons seemed curious, but the reproachful remarks from their elders kept them in line. The older dragons all said the same as Igneel. Whatever had made that strange noise was trouble—it was dangerous and none of them were to go anywhere near it. Only a handful of the older dragons showed any sign that they knew what had made the strange sound. But all the mystery surrounding it only furthered Natsu's curiosity.

"We should put up protective magic," one of the oldest dragons said in his gravely old voice. "It would be disastrous if they ever found the nest."

Grandine nodded. "I agree. If they find us, our entire race could be wiped out in no time. Times are getting hard for us…."

"Sh!" Another dragon hissed. "Not so loud! We can't let fear take hold. Especially in the hatchlings."

"Dad, what are they talking about?" Natsu asked.

Igneel shook his head. "Don't worry about them. It's none of your concern."

He strode toward the others to further discuss what should be done. While the older dragons were muttering to each other, Natsu quietly slipped out of the nest. He constantly glanced over his shoulder as he slunk into the underbrush and crept out into the jungle. If Igneel realized he had snuck out, he would be in for a world of trouble. But the odd noise and strange behavior of the adults had peaked his curiosity. He quickly climbed one of the taller trees and grabbed hold of a vine. Kicking off the branch, he swung from tree to tree, making his way toward the source of the exploding sound. As he drew closer, he could see bamboo and tree limbs broken completely. They had been hacked apart in a clear-cut path through the jungle. It was unlike any animal marking or path making that he had ever seen. None of the forest animals made marks like that. And when dragons walked through the forest, the trees were crushed rather than cut cleanly. He dropped down onto a lower branch, keeping close to the shadows.

An odd scent wafted toward him. Scrunching his nose, Natsu sniffed the air. It didn't smell like any animals he knew. And there was a strange smoky smell that lingered in the air. As he crept forward, he spotted something glinting on the ground. He lifted the thick leaves of the fern to find a strange golden cylinder. Nudging it slightly with his finger, he picked it up and turned it over. It felt warm and was very hard. Sniffing the odd trinket, he found the same strange smoke smell. As he was inspecting it, another explosive bang echoed through the forest.

He darted off into the underbrush, following the strange animal scent and the odd bang. Natsu climbed one of the taller tree's to get a better view. Down below he saw the bamboo swaying back and forth, falling like leaves in a straight path but he couldn't see the creatures responsible. The odd scent was incredibly strong now. Grabbing a nearby vine, he swung down toward the strange scene. He landed as silent as a cat and hid in the bushes. Natsu watched as branches and bamboo fell with ease, accompanied by the sound of voices.

Through the bamboo he could see the shadow of something about his size. The creature swung its arm back and forth and the bamboo fell easily to the side.

"…I was born for adventure like this!" a deep voice said. Natsu didn't understand what the voice said. It was unlike any form of animal speech he had heard before. "And this jungle is perfect for…" the voice trailed off and the creature paused suddenly.

Carefully brushing some of the leaves aside so he could see better, Natsu leaned forward slightly. Suddenly another loud bang echoed and the bark of the tree beside him exploded into splinters. Natu ducked down instantly, crouching low to the ground. He kept himself hidden in the shadows. With another large swipe, the bamboo fell aside and a man stepped forward, holding an odd stick with smooth shiny parts.

The breath caught in Natsu's throat. It was a creature that looked exactly like he did! He had pink scaleless skin, no tail or wings, and he stood on two legs. He wore weird coverings on his legs that were brown like tree bark and something green that covered his whole top. He almost looked like he was trying to blend in with the trees. The man looked around, eyes narrowed.

"Clayton!" another voice called.

An older one jogged up behind him. His hair was white and he had a mustache. The old man wore a disk-like thing on his head and he was dressed similarly to the first man. Both men wore odd contraptions that covered their feet.

"Clayton! What are you stopping for?"

"I thought I saw something…" the first man muttered.

"Perhaps it was an Exceed or maybe a Vulcan—"

"Professor Markarov! Quiet!"

"Hmph!" The old man folded his arms and scowled.

"Professor?" a softer voice called. There was a sort of struggled grunting before some of the bamboo parted slightly. And another figure emerged. This one was smaller—a female. She wore a big poofy pink thing and another similar disk shaped object on her head. She had blonde hair and carried a little book with her. She struggled with the bamboo as she pushed her way through it.

"Professor, what's going on?"

"Clayton thinks he heard something," the old man grumbled.

Heaving a sigh of frustration, the girl stormed toward the man holding the weird stick.

"Excuse me, Mr. Clayton." She tapped him on the shoulder. "But the Professor and I came on this expedition to _study_ dragons and I think your shooting might be scaring them off."

Clayton chuckled. "You hired me to protect you, Miss Heartfilia. And protect you, I shall. After all, you need more than silly magic to protect you in these wild places."

"And you are doing a _marvelous_ job. But if you would stop shooting at any little noise, that would be wonderful. And we only have a short time before the boat arrives so if the shooting scares them away, it will have all been pointless."

Natsu slowly backed away on all fours, careful not to make a sound. All this time he had believed there weren't any other creatures that looked like him. But here were three others—scaleless, flightless dragons. Or where they even dragons to begin with? So many questions buzzed through his mind as he crept away. But he knew one person who could answer them. Igneel.

_**Chapter 8 coming soon!**_


End file.
